


something other than the desperation

by etheriaslastbraincell



Series: litany in which certain things are crossed out [2]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, realized i should tag the characters that are in each individual chapter lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:40:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24602518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etheriaslastbraincell/pseuds/etheriaslastbraincell
Summary: Shadow Weaver sends spies to Mystacor. Catra comes up with a plan.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Series: litany in which certain things are crossed out [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1778464
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	something other than the desperation

_2\. So maybe I wanted to give you something more than a catalog_

_of non-definitive acts,_

_something other than the desperation._

Catra stands outside the looming doors of Shadow Weaver’s inner sanctum, arms crossed over her chest. She leans her back against the wall, one foot propped up behind her, ears twitching in annoyance. She always figured Shadow Weaver to be obsessed, twisted in her desire to control and subdue Adora and her since they were children. Catra, though, she saw the reality of this situation; Adora wasn’t coming back.

Catra’s done begging. She’s not afraid anymore, she’s not a child so intent on keeping Adora all to herself, anxiously awaiting the day Adora would decide she wasn’t good enough. The worst thing Catra could have imagined already happened. Adora left, she made the wrong choice and she’s stubborn and short-sighted and is digging her own grave. A grave Catra is going to lay her in one day, nice and slow. Right next to the bodies of everyone princess Adora chose over her.

Shadow Weaver isn’t seeing clearly, Catra resolves. She wasn’t giving up on her perfect Adora. Even with Adora’s absolute denunciation of the Horde, Shadow Weaver still wants her more than Catra. The thought makes bile creep up her throat. Catra uncrosses her arms and pushes off from the wall, glancing around the hallway leading to the sanctum. She could do so much more than standing watch while Shadow Weaver’s chasing after that hopeless case. Catra begins to pace in front of the door, impatient to see Shadow Weaver fail so she can move on to something more productive.

Catra didn’t need Adora. She never did. Even when Adora was here, it didn’t stop Shadow Weaver from torturing her. It didn’t matter if she was a child back then, she should have known better. Adora couldn’t save her, and next to her, Catra would never win. Even now in Adora’s absence, Catra was still losing.

She shakes her head at the creeping desperation, brings her hands up to smooth down the top of her hair. She’s tired of this. She has to look at things differently, she has to focus on real, actionable plans. Living in the past does nothing, and now that Adora isn’t here, Catra has the space to show everyone what she can do. She’s done cowering behind Adora’s perfect hair, her long legs, her disarming smile. Catra’s always been faster anyway, smarter, more cunning. Now, everyone would have the chance to see what she was capable of.

Catra clenches her fist, her nails digging into the palm of her hand.

So Adora had it so much better now, better friends and a brand new shiny sword. Eyes that glow like flashlights. Catra’s stomach lurches at the memory of She-Ra’s eyes burning into her own as she loses her grip, falls off a cliff into a sea of darkness. Was it a memory, or a dream? She shivers, shakes her head. It doesn’t matter.

A loud yell and solid thump from behind the door startles Catra from her thoughts. She jumps and turns toward the entrance of the sanctum, claws extended and ears forward, tense. After a beat of silence, Catra cautiously reaches to open the door, scanning the inside of the room. Where did Shadow Weaver go? She leaps in quietly, trusting her agility to keep her safe if anything’s amiss.

The room is cloudy and smells of sulfur and rubber. “Hello? Shadow Weaver?” she calls out. The smoke clears slightly, and Catra spots a dark, motionless form on the floor. Looks like Shadow Weaver’s out cold. Catra chuckles to herself. Serves you right, old woman.

She turns from Shadow Weaver, pads over to the glowing green basin in the center of the room and peers inside. The image of Adora’s new best friend ripples on the surface of the water, the heart cut-out of his shirt proud and obvious, so on the nose it makes Catra scoff. What a privilege, to wear your heart so openly like that. Such a stark vulnerability. Catra feels the sly curl of her lips, a sneer that’s almost a smile. She has a plan.

If Catra can’t convince Adora to come back, she’ll just have to take Adora’s new life for herself. She’ll steal Adora’s heart, she’ll hold it between her teeth and shake it, prove to everyone how much better off she is now that Adora isn’t holding her back.

“If you want to take down Adora, you have to go for the heart.”


End file.
